Dorset therapist recognised for prison work

A Dorset health worker has been recognised nationally after a prison based programme helped cut violence and re offending among prisoners during key stages of custody.

Jennifer Stickney, a consultant occupational therapy practitioner with Dorset HealthCare, has been named Allied Health Professional of the Year after winning the Public Health category at the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer Awards, before being selected as the overall winner across eight categories.

The award recognises work carried out within His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, where Jennifer was seconded to explore how people in prison can develop and maintain a healthier and more balanced lifestyle, particularly during high risk periods such as entering custody, moving between prisons and preparing for release.

Her work focused on developing a new settlement model designed to support prisoners through these transitions, addressing factors linked to behaviour, wellbeing and long term outcomes within the criminal justice system.

The programme has already delivered measurable results in two pilot prisons, including reductions in prisoner incidents and re offending rates, and has been described by those involved as having a significant impact on people in custody.

Following the success of the pilot schemes, the model is now set to be rolled out nationally across prisons in England, extending the approach beyond Dorset.

Jennifer said she was proud of the progress made alongside occupational therapist Emma Holmes, adding that occupational therapy has a strong role to play across criminal justice at clinical and system wide levels.

Professor Suzanne Rastrick, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer for England, said the work offered practical solutions to challenges facing prisons and could help improve safety and rehabilitation outcomes across the country.